Prince Edward becomes new Duke of Edinburgh

Prince Edward, previously known as the Earl of Wessex, takes on the title last held by his father, Prince Philip. Photo / Getty Images

King Charles has named Prince Edward the new Duke of Edinburgh.

Edward, previously known as the Earl of Wessex, takes on the title last held by his father, Prince Philip.

Edward’s wife, Sophie, will become the Duchess of Edinburgh.

Their 15-year-old son, James Viscount Severn, becomes the new Earl of Wessex.

Their 19-year-old daughter remains Lady Louise Windsor.

Edward’s new title will not pass to James upon his death, and will revert to the Crown.

The late Queen and Prince Philip had promised Edward would become Duke of Edinburgh following his father’s death, but it did not happen immediately after Philip’s passing aged 99 in 2021.

It’s understood that Charles was concerned about such a senior title being conferred to Edward as he is now 13th in line to the throne, and will only slip further down as the Cambridge, Sussex and York families grow.

But it was felt that Edward and Sophie deserved a reward for their hard work taking on extra engagements following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s departure as working royals.

A Buckingham Palace statement said: “His Majesty The King has been pleased to confer the Dukedom of Edinburgh upon The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar, on the occasion of His Royal Highness’s 59th birthday.

“The title will be held by Prince Edward for His Royal Highness’s lifetime.

“The Dukedom was last created for Prince Philip in 1947, upon his marriage to Princess Elizabeth, who held the title of Duchess of Edinburgh before acceding to the throne in 1952.

“The new Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are proud to continue Prince Philip’s legacy of promoting opportunities for young people of all backgrounds to reach their full potential.”

The Dukedom has previously been created four times for members of the royal family.

The first Duke of Edinburgh was Prince Ferderick, the eldest son of King George II, who was handed the title in 1726.

King George III’s brother, William, then held the Dukedom from 1764.

Prince Alfred, the son of Queen Victoria, was handed the Dukedom in 1866, and Prince Philip was made the Duke of Edinburgh upon his marriage to the late Queen Elizabeth II.

The news comes after Harry and Meghan announced that their children Archie and Lilibet would be referred to as Prince and Princess.

A spokesman for the Sussexes said: “The children’s titles have been a birthright since their grandfather became monarch.

“This matter has been settled for some time in alignment with Buckingham Palace.”

Archie and Lilibet’s titles were finally changed on the royal website on Thursday evening - some six months on from the Queen’s death.

They were being referred to as Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and Miss Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor. They are now listed as Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex.

William and Kate’s titles - and those of their children - were swiftly changed from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to the Prince and Princess of Wales after Charles ascended to the throne.

Under rules set out by King George V in 1917, the children of the son of a sovereign are automatically prince and princess.

That meant that Archie and Lilibet were not due to become prince and princess until their grandfather Charles became king.

But Meghan bizarrely claimed during the couple’s infamous interview with Oprah Winfrey that Archie - who was born during Queen Elizabeth II’s reign - was not given a title because of his race.